The pressure’s starting to mount and the countdown began weeks ago but… some hard-working parents are starting to panic. You know that feeling when that friend that you haven’t seen in a while tells you that they’ve already finished buying all their presents and they’re all sitting wrapped up under the tree? HELP!!

If you’re like me and you haven’t even begun to shop yet, do not fear; there’s plenty of help at hand.

This weekend marks the big Black Friday sales at thousands of retailers. It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up some gifts for the holidays, such as our popular and award-winningHUE Animation Studio movie-making starter kit for kids. Here are our top five reasons why the pack is the perfect gift for 7-13 year olds this Christmas.

1. HUE Animation Studio gives hours of fun every day. We all remember those Christmas Days when the most wished-for and expensive of gifts was left languishing on the floor while your child spends hours playing with another gift that was a fraction of the cost and provided double the enjoyment. HUE Animation Studio is immediately attractive with its great packaging and colourful camera but also offers long-lasting enjoyment as it engages on so many levels. Inside the box you’ll find the HUE HD USB camera, HUE Animation software and a 60-page activity book full of tips and ideas for how to make your very own stop motion films. Simply plug the camera into your laptop, install the software (on Windows or MacOS) and you’re ready to roll!

2. Spend family time together creating memorable films. Brothers and sisters can play together along with people of all ages. HUE is a gender neutral toy equally loved by both boys and girls and it’s great for spending time together as a family. Even the youngest of animators can have fun making the characters and moving the pieces that will star in the movie out of LEGO™ or clay; older children will enjoy deciding on the storyline and writing the script whilst the ‘professionals’ can excel at deciding on camera angles, positioning the characters and creating or importing sound effects. Any actors amongst you will love getting into character for the voiceovers and the whole family can enjoy watching the finished film again and again.

3. It’s a starter kit that grows with your child. Kids usually catch on very quickly and become competent animators in no time at all. HUE Animation Studio is an all-in-one stop motion starter kit that grows along with your child. They’ll soon be producing their own films and moving onto the more advanced features of the software such as using the chroma key, adding credits and changing backgrounds. As with any skill, practice makes perfect and each new production will be better and better, making HUE Animation Studio the perfect gift to provide years of enjoyment.

4. It’s a creative gift enabling learning through play. A key topic in education in 2017 has been the value of play in the learning process. Whilst stop motion animation has been around for many years, using this kit means the images can be captured instantly and edited in real time. Children can see the results of their efforts in a very short time and can save and share their creations. Whilst planning, executing, and presenting their animations, children are learning the 21st century skills of creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking without even knowing it. The skills needed by businesses in the future are constantly changing and HUE is playing its small part in helping children develop them – in a fun, creative way.

5. HUE Animation Studio offers great value for money. Offering fantastic fun right out of the box, HUE Animation Studio can be used for both home and school projects. It’s a movie-making kit that offers a winning combination of technology and creativity that we know children love. Spend fun-filled time with your child creating memorable films that can be shared with friends and family on YouTube or Creatubbles, a safe global community for young artists and animators. With Black Friday deals making the decision even easier this week, HUE Animation Studio is a great Christmas gift which offers real value for money.